Horse racing returns to Kalispell

After a four-year hiatus, horse racing will return to the Northwest Montana Fair in August.

The local All Breed Turf Club and Blackfeet Tribe will sponsor two days of racing Aug. 21-22 during the fair.

“For the public, it will be just like we picked up where we left off before,” said Turf Club member Janis Schoepf, who has done much of the legwork to restart the racing program here.

Flathead County gave up horse racing at the fair in 2006, citing a loss of $10,000 per day of racing. The decision followed similar actions by other counties that could no longer afford to subsidize the popular sport.

The Fair Board left the door open for other entities to take over the event, though, and recently gave the Turf Club the go-ahead to make preparations for a race program this year.

“They’re basically renting the track,” Fair Board member Joy Struble said. “We were OK with them doing it as long as there’s no cost on our part.”

Schoepf said the county has been generous in allowing the club and Blackfeet Tribe to use the track and grandstand facilities. The biggest expense for the organizing groups has been raising money for the race purses, but Schoepf promised purses “comparable or better” than past racing events at the fair.

“Hopefully we will benefit the fair and the fair will benefit us,” she said.

Trainers from all over the Northwest, including Utah, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming,

Montana and Canada will bring a variety of breeds here to fill the race card.

Schoepf has worked with the Montana Board of Horse Racing to nail down state approval and details such as jockey insurance.

“This will benefit racing statewide,” she said about the Flathead racing program.

With Missoula also rekindling horse racing this year through a lease agreement with Montana Entertainment, Schoepf said it has created a nice circuit in Montana with racing in Great Falls, Missoula, Kalispell and Billings this summer.

Race tracks recently have closed in Boise, Idaho, and Evanston, Wyo., and that will push more racers to Montana, she added.

“It’s a huge opportunity for us because on that weekend (Aug. 21-22) there’s no other racing in Montana” and the nearest race is in Nevada.

Schoepf said community response to the resurgence of horse racing in Kalispell has been very good, and she’s counting on volunteers to help out with the program. Racing will begin at 1 p.m. both days, with the gates open at noon.

Indian relay events have been scheduled during halftime at the PRCA rodeo performances at the Northwest Montana Fair, and Schoepf is hoping some relay events also can be incorporated into the daytime races.

Schoepf, a horse trainer and a hairdresser at Moxi in Kalispell, grew up around racing. Her father was involved in horse racing and she had two brothers who were jockeys. She’s excited about this year’s opportunity.

“It’s countless hours for a passion,” she said.

The goal is to keep the program alive and financially viable in Flathead County.

Volunteers and anyone wanting to sponsor the race program can e-mail Schoepf at jsgoracin@hotmail.com.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com